As indicated by my last (somewhat brief) post, David and I spent a week in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, celebrating our one-year anniversary. We left Crouton at home, cared for by our neighbor’s teenage daughter. We came home really late Saturday night (or is that really early Sunday morning) and walked into the house, noticing errant cat toys on the living room floor. We stared.
“Did she actually try to PLAY with Crouton?” David asked. Sure seemed like it. That’s probably something we should have included on the instructions sheet — play with cat at your own risk.
As far as we know, the 14-year-old only walked away with minor scratches. And that night we came home, Crouton actually showed affection. The type of affection only reserved for when she actually thought we had abandoned her, and what would she do if she couldn’t get her dry food refilled at any time she desired? (We really need to cut back on that.)
So fter spending a week in Jamaica, where I didn’t do any cooking nor any dishes and generally indulged in every single morsel that I came across, readjusting to normal eating habits (where I have make everything myself!) has been slightly difficult. I suppose that’s just a part of vacation, isn’t it?
So I went from eating fresh fruit, snapper, and a myriad of other amazing foods back to trying to concoct a recipe based on what was in my fridge. On Tuesday night, that happened to be chicken, mushrooms, and cream, as well as some fresh asaparagus I picked up on my way back from the Eastern Shore on Sunday.
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 zucchini, diced (optional, I threw it in for good measure)
1/2 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces angel hair pasta
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan.
Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil to the skillet to heat. Mix in the onions and mushrooms and saute until for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and chicken stock and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender.
Drizzle in the cream and whisk to combine. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Serve over whole-wheat pasta.
